Studies designed to control the production of aflatoxin and other mycotoxins by (1) determining if -- and how effectively -- certain naturally occurring agents such as pecan shells, soybean and cottonseed testa, gossypol, pepper and cinnamon protect some foodstuffs, and (2) investigating the interfering or accelerating effect of fluctuating temperatures and the role of metabolic intermediates, (3) selecting certain pesticidal agents that have insecticidal-antifungal properties and by (4) establishing if other aspergilli from foods pose any public health problem. Pecan shells and lamellae will be ground and solvent extracted. This material will be added to cultures of A. flavus, etc. growing in YES media. Mycotoxins will be determimed using fluorodensitometry. Fungal penetration of commercial-, glandless-, high glossypol-, and hard-seed-coat-cottonseed will be determined after these seeds have been surface sterilized, soaked, inoculated with toxigenic strains of fungi and transferred to a low-nutrient medium. Electron microscopy will be used to detect and establish contamination site(s). Patulin production by Penicillium expansum in pears will be determined using varying time- temperature conditions between 6 degrees C and 27 degrees C. Amplitude and frequency of temperature cycling will be automatically controlled and inocula of selected fungi will be cultured in Raulin-Thom or YES media. Insecticides such as methoxychlor, dichlorvos, pyrethrins, piperonyl butoxide, malathion, diazinon and dibrom will be tested at three levels against five fungal species. Toxins will be monitored, extracted, and quantitated. Mycelia will be dried, weighed, and yields compared. Suspected mycotoxin production by aspergilli other than A. flavus will be investigated; after obtaining sufficient quantities of mycella and/or extracting material, toxicities will be checked using chick embryos animal injections, and/or animal feeding. Time- temperature, heat and light stability and solubility tests will be made. Histological studies will be made in cooperation with the University of Georgia School of Veterinary Medicine.